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Thai Turkey Soup

Published / Updated / 64 Comments

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This creamy coconut curry Thai turkey soup recipe is incredibly flavorful and easy to make. The tastiest way to use up leftover turkey or chicken!

two bowls of easy Thai turkey soup with noodles and a coconut milk broth

I know I just posted a leftover turkey noodle soup, but here's another one. 😛 This one's different enough that I feel ok posting two turkey soup recipes in a row.

I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a good one.

This Thai coconut turkey soup is the perfect thing to ease you out of your turkey coma. It's warm and cozy but also fresh and fairly light. That's what I love about Thai food... the creamy coconut milk, fresh herbs, and vibrant flavors. Such a good combo.

close-up of easy leftover turkey soup with a red curry coconut milk broth and rice noodles in a bowl

Play with the flavor!

  • This soup is flavorful but not what I'd call spicy. If you do want to make this soup spicier, add some grated ginger, sriracha, and/or chili paste.
  • Not feeling some of the fresh herbs? Don't include them all.
  • Are you a salt fiend like me? Add a splash of soy sauce.
  • Serve the soup with lime wedges.
  • Taste and adjust until you think it tastes perfect.

If you like Thai-inspired recipes, you may also like my easy Thai shrimp curry, this 20 minute Thai chicken curry soup or my Thai green curry soup with vermicelli.

bowl of Thai creamy leftover turkey soup with noodles next to two lime slices

Naturally, this soup works well for Thanksgiving leftovers, but it could also be made on another occasion where you have leftover or rotisserie chicken. Or just cook a turkey breast if you want something a little different. I've done that before.

More leftover turkey recipes to try:

two white bowls of creamy Thai turkey soup next to lime slices

I hope you'll give this leftover turkey soup a try! Questions? Ask me in the comments below.

Easy leftover turkey soup with a red curry coconut milk broth and rice noodles. So healthy and delicious!

Thai Turkey Soup

This creamy coconut curry Thai turkey soup recipe is incredibly flavorful and easy to make. The tastiest way to use up leftover turkey or chicken!
5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Soup
Cuisine Thai
Servings 4
Calories 321 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 heaping tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • Juice of 1/2 lime
  • 2 cups cooked turkey
  • 7 ounces rice noodles see note
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 (13.5 fluid ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro chopped
  • Scallions chopped, to taste
  • Lime wedges for serving

Instructions
 

  • Chop the onion, red pepper, basil, cilantro, and scallions.
  • Sauté the onion in the olive oil in a large soup pot for 5 minutes over medium-high heat.
  • Add the garlic and curry paste and cook for 30 seconds.
  • Stir in the chicken broth, water, lime juice, turkey, rice noodles, and red pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
  • Reduce the heat to medium-low, stir in the coconut milk, and let the soup simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the basil, cilantro, and scallions.

Notes

  • Serves 4-6.
  • Want to make this spicier? Add some grated ginger, sriracha, and/or chili paste.
  • If you want this to be saltier, try a bit of soy sauce or just adding some regular salt.
  • I used half a package of Thai Kitchen stir fry rice noodles (not the super thin ones) for this soup. You could add the whole package, but keep in mind it'll soak up the soup broth faster, so you may need to add more broth, especially if you reheat it.
  • I used Thai Kitchen red curry paste and coconut milk. I recommend their coconut milk because it's not too watery unlike some other brands I've tried.
  • Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. Ingredients can vary and Salt & Lavender makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 321kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 14gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 937mgPotassium: 602mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1144IUVitamin C: 58mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Thai turkey soup
Author Natasha Bull

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  1. Patricia says

    5 stars
    This was so good though I lowered the red curry paste to 2 tablespoons and didn't have red bell pepper or cilantro. Still it was very flavorful and a change from the usual leftover turkey recipes. Thank you so much for a very original yet simple and quick recipe.

    Reply

  2. Trish Ball says

    5 stars
    This was fantastic and such a nice change for Christmas turkey left overs. It was such a hit amongst my moms’ group, and so continued innovation has occurred and I hear told it’s great with shrimp, mushrooms and even a bit of lemongrass. So happy to have been introduced to you and your site. Happy New Year, stay safe

    Reply

  4. Audrey says

    My family and I are very happy with this meal! I was a little nervous about so much curry paste, but it tastes great. Very easy to make. Thank you!

    Reply

  5. Marie says

    5 stars
    Love this recipe as does everyone in my family. This year I am putting in jars, freezing and giving in baskets filled with fresh bread and a few jars of various hot sauces, limes with a note to enjoy during this busy time. Well maybe not as busy as prior years, but a treat to enjoy nevertheless!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Yup, you can just cook it right in the soup. I would add the meat in at step 4 but not add the noodles until the last 10 minutes or so of cooking (like the recipe suggests). It really depends on the size of the pieces/if you cut them up or not (you may want to since they may be quite large) so I don't want to suggest a cooking time in case it's way off. Just make sure the turkey is on its way to being cooked thru prior to adding noodles (by the end it should be kinda falling off the bone, but using a meat thermometer will tell you if it's 165F). I also think adding another cup or two of broth is a good idea since it'll take longer to cook that turkey.

      Reply

  7. Margy says

    5 stars
    I loved this recipe. I have made a few variations and used shrimp instead of turkey. There are so many options for this!

    Reply

  8. Kim says

    I never write reviews but felt compelled bc this is incredible! Added more of the curry paste (didn't have a specific one that said Thai but it was still good), as well as broccoli and peas for more veggies. Soooo good- thank you!

    Reply

  9. Jody Mahr says

    5 stars
    A delicious and savory way to use leftover turkey. I didn't have basil. Instead I used a Thai Basil Pesto that I made with the last of the Thai basil in my garden. Worked perfectly. Perhaps next time I might add some bean sprouts on top. Thank you!

    Reply

  10. Bridgid K says

    5 stars
    This was delicious! It was a perfect way to use up a bunch of turkey— end it brought much needed, bright flavors post-Thanksgiving. I added more peppers, more lime, ginger, and a bit more chili paste. I’m excited to have more for lunch tomorrow!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hmmm honestly it's kinda what makes the soup what it is. I'm not sure there is a sub that'll taste similar with the Thai flavors. Maybe try a splash of heavy cream?

      Reply

    • Tasha says

      You could try cashew cream or almond milk. My mom is Thai and doesn’t use the most of the coconut milk because it’s very fatty and the flavors are pretty much the same with almond milk. It’s a little thinner. Coconut milk is really high in saturated fat

      Reply

  13. Kim says

    5 stars
    Made this last night for dinner, the kids loved it, not too spicy. I ate the small bowl of leftovers for lunch and it was even better the next day so don’t be afraid to make a larger pot.

    Reply

  14. Aly Foster says

    5 stars
    We celebrated [...] with a giant 25 lb roast turkey for four of us. Leftovers galore.
    This was delicious!!! A very different take on typical leftover dishes. Loved it!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Haha I like your style! So glad the leftovers were yummy too! (I edited your comment because bloggers are being told not to use buzzwords associated with current events because it may impact search engine rankings).

      Reply

  15. Adele says

    This recipe was super yummy! I was lacking a lot of ingredients... thanks [...] (no lime juice... so I used lemon juice, no fresh basil or cilantro, no rice noodles so I use cooked up some fettuccine noodles and added them) and just added some carrots & broccoli as I had no red peppers. The flavor of the soup was so good and what a great way to use up leftover turkey. Will definitely be adding to my soup repertoire and plan to make it again!

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Adele! I'm so glad that you were able to adapt it based on what you could get. Thanks for leaving me a comment! (I edited your comment because bloggers have been told not to use buzzwords associated with the current events because it may affect our search rankings, so I am erring on the side of caution)

      Reply

  16. Sarah says

    5 stars
    This is SO yummy! I added zucchini, sweet potatoes, and carrots to bulk it up a bit! LOVED IT! I also used lite coconut milk, still turned out amazing!

    Reply

      • Natasha says

        Not sure if she will see your comment, but if you chop everything fairly small, you could just add them in when you're cooking the onions. Perhaps give it another 5-10 minute or so on top of the indicated recipe time prior to adding in the noodles.

        Reply

  17. LInda says

    5 stars
    Excellent soup recipe - one can do a lot with it!
    My son likes more robust soups so I made Thai meatballs with ground turkey to include - they were really a great addition and can use when there is not enough turkey to add (my dilemma because a lot of extra turkey goes with the family after!) or if it's not around Thanksgiving. I used turkey carcass stock and made a big batch. Included water chestnuts, too and diced yellow potatoes and sliced baby carrots to bulk it up. Thanks for the great idea for a different kind of turkey soup than the standard versions......

    Reply

  18. Maria Ricossa says

    This is a Brilliant recipe and very forgiving. I followed the recipe pretty accurately but played around with the amount of red curry paste, used all homemade stock and no water, added a bit of soy sauce and hot sauce as per your suggestion, used chicken and threw in a big bag of greens near the end.
    The daughter and husband proclaimed it was the best soup they’ve ever had.

    Reply

  19. Pawel in Seattle says

    I followed your recipe but increased everything proportionally for a huge pot of soup. Tastes great over rice too.

    My dilemma? My son and his wife are vegetarians (but they do eat fish and shrimp). How to prepare your recipe so it is just as tasty without chicken or turkey stock?

    Reply

  21. Leah Henry says

    5 stars
    I was looking for a recipe to use my leftover turkey that was not the same old turkey soup. I tried this one and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was. I will make it again but with just a few small adjustments. Instead of adding two cups of water, I plan to increase the chicken broth to six cups for a more robust flavor. Also, since I love spicy foods, I will add a chopped hot pepper as well.

    Reply

  22. Abbey says

    This looks amazing! Does it have a strong coconut flavor? I love coconut curry but my boyfriend does not like anything coconut so I'm hoping this could still work for us. Otherwise, I'll just have to make it for myself =)

    Reply

    • Natasha says

      Hi Abbey! I haven't made this since I posted the recipe, but I do recall tasting coconut in the broth. More for you 🙂

      Reply

      • Vivian Bellini says

        This had to be the best, best soup I have ever made! I love Asian style anything! I used a left over store bought chicken with some meat left on it, I boiled and used the broth, and the meat (if I kept it much longer I would have to waste it)! I did have to add some condensed broth, I was out of red bell pepper, but used carrots instead! I did not have Curry Thai paste, so I used some curry powder and mixed it with a kind of Siracha sauce! I was also out of limes but I had lime concentrate! Now I think of it, I can't wait to make it as it was originally supposed to be!
        I like it hot and spicy and even added more hot sauce!
        What a great way to use left over turkey or chicken! I also like the idea of putting in a little peanut butter, as someone had suggested! Great flavor!

        Reply

  25. Rosemary says

    5 stars
    Amazing soup! I doubled the recipe and since I only had 1 red bell pepper the other one was orange; it worked perfect. I added 1.5 tsp kosher salt to a double batch. At the end, before serving I stirred in a 13.5 oz bottle of Thai sweet chili sauce and 1/4 c lime juice to the Double batch of soup to give it the spice we like without making it too much. I have made it twice and the family and neighbors love me! Thank you Thank you!

    Reply

  26. Lizzie says

    5 stars
    Oops, didn't buy full-fat coconut milk, and the soup needed some texture, so I added a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter. Did the job perfectly! I'm going to make this again but probably not with the turkey which got out-classed with all the yummy spices and herbs. Very warming and pleasant.

    Reply